Pink of Perfection

I’ve spent my adult life thinking I didn’t like barley. Turns out, what turned me off were the bloated, mushy pearls in soup. But as a grain cooked to delicate, chewy perfection, I’ve discovered I’m a big, big fan. In fact, I’ve been eating it all week with my farmer’s market stir-fries instead of rice.

You’ve got to have a killer air-conditioner or an unseasonably cool day on your hands to want to make risotto in June, I realize, and I certainly wouldn’t advise standing over a hot pot on a humid day. But I made this a few weeks ago when I had a basically bare pantry, and despite the not-so-delicious looking picture, this was a total success. I don’t think I’ll go back to making classic risotto unless it’s for a special occasion, and I’m definitely ditching the time-sucking brown rice attempt. Barley risotto it is from now on!

One more thing: this recipe kind of falls into no-brainer territory. It’s warm and comforting and soothing, and I find it’s nice to have those basic recipes on hand for the days we’re feeling uninspired about dinner, or you spent the afternoon at the public pool and return home with that feeling of bone-weary exhaustion and a cool core temperature. Don’t you love that feeling? And more than any other supper prep that comes to mind, perhaps with the exception of chopping onions, risotto-making is therapeutic, for those days when you can’t handle the high energy action of flipping this and searing that or watching the broiler like a hawk lest something burst into flames. This is for those slower days when your brain’s not firing on all cylinders and you can just manage stirring.

Tomato and Parmesan Barley Risotto
Serves 2-3 as a main course

4 to 6 cups chicken, beef or vegetable stock, heated to the boiling point
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons minced shallot or onion
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chopped sundried tomatoes*
1 ripe tomato, chopped
1 cup pearled barley
grated Parmesan

Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot or onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the barley, stirring until each kernel is coated with oil. Add the wine, salt, pepper, and sundried tomatoes, raise the heat, and let bubble away for a couple minutes, stirring, until the wine is nearly evaporated.

Reduce heat to medium, and add a ladle full of stock to the risotto, stirring constantly until the liquid is absorbed. Add more, and repeat process until barley is tender, about 30 minutes. Stir in chopped tomatoes in the last couple minutes of cooking. Serve topped with grated Parmesan; a few sprigs of basil would be lovely if you have them growing on your windowsill.

*I used the sundried tomatoes not packed in oil, which need a lot of time to soften up. If you use the oil-packed kind, you could probably wait until half-way through the barley’s cooking process to add them, just so they don’t disintegrate.

 Print Recipe